Not too long ago, finding a tire with a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty was not easy. Modern construction methods, advanced tread compounds and other technology has lead to tires that can wear for even longer. With treadwear warranties on some replacement tires approaching 100,000 miles, they may even outlast your car!
Achieving long treadlife requires more work than simply installing the tires and driving. Proper maintenance of the tires' inflation pressures, tire rotation and keeping your vehicle aligned all play a role. In fact, manufacturers require that the tires are worn down evenly in order to qualify for treadwear warranty coverage. Find more information about this by reading "The Good, the Bad and the Impossible Regarding Treadlife Warranties."
Here are some of my top picks for tires that feature a long treadwear warranty, while still maintaining acceptable levels of grip and ride quality:
90,000-Mile Treadlife Warranty or Longer
80,000-85,000-Mile Treadlife Warranty
70,000-75,000-Mile Treadlife Warranty
To see if these tires are available for your car, SUV or crossover, shop by vehicle.
With spring h
ere, many drivers are getting ready to purchase tires for roadrace or autocross use.
For those who want tires they'll use mostly on the street, but want to do some racing, the Extreme Performance Summer category offers some good options. Tires in this performance category won't give you the fastest lap times compared to competition tires, however they are a good choice for the less serious racer. If this sounds like what you're looking for, consider the following options:
For the more serious race enthusiast, take a look at our selection of Track & Competition DOT tires. These are options that shouldn't be driven on the street and are for the track only. If you are looking for a tire for your roadrace event, consider the Hoosier R6. If autocross is your event, take a look at the A6 from Hoosier.
Hoosier's set-up process to maximize treadwear and handling is more involved than other tires, however their tires are hard to beat! For those that want a good competition tire at a lower price point, the Hankook Ventus Z214 is available in both a roadrace and autocross compound.
Will your new set of tires need to be saved? If so, how far should they be shaved? Read "Shaving Tires for Autocross / Track Use / Competition" to see how this service can help you maximize your tire's performance capabilities early in their life.
When one thinks about tire design, one usually thinks about tread pattern. For those willing to dig a little bit deeper, tread compound and internal construction are at least as important to a tire's performance. How about the design of the letters on the sidewall? Purely cosmetic, right?
Not so, says Dunlop. Their research and testing indicates that the raised letters on the side of the tire contributes to turbulence around the tire. This disruption of the airflow creates drag, increasing the overall air resistance the vehicle must overcome to maintain its speed or accelerate.
With these findings, the new Dunlop Sport Maxx RT has all of its sidewall lettering indented below the surface of the sidewall rather than raised above it. This creates a smoother surface that minimizes turbulence around the tire. How much of a difference will this make? Likely not enough to be noticed by a driver at normal road speeds. However, any extra efficiency is good from a performance and fuel economy point of view.
Also, it doesn't hurt that the design yields a sleek, high-tech appearance for the tire's sidewall. The driver gets some added functional benefits that he or she may not notice, while gaining the very visible benefit of a modern-looking, attractive tire.
View the full-screen image of the tire to see the distinctive sidewall design.
2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan 3.8
2011 Toyota 4Runner V6
